Armed Robber of Two Richmond Businesses Sentenced to 27 Years

Armed Robber of Two Richmond Businesses Sentenced to 27 Years

RICHMOND, VA—Spencer A. Coley, Jr., 25, of Richmond, was sentenced today to 324 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release for the Dec. 9, 2014, armed robbery at the College Mart convenience store in Richmond and the Dec. 11, 2014, armed robbery of an employee of the Red House Chinese Restaurant outside a SunTrust Bank, also in Richmond. Coley was also sentenced to 24 months in prison to run concurrently with the above-referenced sentence for committing multiple violations while on federal supervised release.

Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; and Adam S. Lee, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Robert E. Payne.

Coley plead guilty on April 9, 2015, to two counts of interference with commerce by robbery, and one count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. According to court documents, Coley admitted that on Dec. 9, 2014, he entered the College Mart convenience store, located at 1501 Chamberlayne Parkway, and brandished a firearm at the clerk and demanded money. After obtaining $400 in cash he fled. Coley also admitted that on Dec. 11, 2014, he entered the SunTrust bank, located at 1101 Azalea Avenue, and observed an employee of the Red House Chinese Restaurant making a withdrawal from the restaurant business account. Coley waited outside for the employee to leave the bank and robbed him at gunpoint of $4,160. Both businesses were involved in interstate commerce.

This case was investigated by the FBI’s Richmond Field Office and the Richmond Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:15-cr-18.